Governor Daytonhttp://www.fightbacknews.org/taxonomy/term/5949/all
enWelfare Rights Committee plans occupation at MN Governor’s mansion http://www.fightbacknews.org/2016/1/7/welfare-rights-committee-plans-occupation-mn-governor-s-mansion
<p>St. Paul, MN - Members of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) will ‘occupy’ the Governor’s mansion, at 4:00 p.m., Jan . 8. Protesters will be there on and off throughout the day and night.</p>
<p>“We want to send a message to the governor that we are sick of our people being homeless and suffering with nothing. Lots of us in need can’t get any help at all,” says WRC member Darnella Wade.</p>
<p>The Welfare Rights Committee insists that lawmakers support the GAAIN bill, SF1426 and HF1533, which provides cash to help for families who have hit the 5-year public assistance limit and singles who can't find work.</p>
<p>“We want to show the governor what Minnesota will look like if something is not done to help people now,” explained Tracy Molm, a WRC member.</p>
http://www.fightbacknews.org/2016/1/7/welfare-rights-committee-plans-occupation-mn-governor-s-mansion#commentsGovernor DaytonWelfare Rights CommitteePoor People's MovementsFri, 08 Jan 2016 04:41:08 +0000Fight Back5190 at http://www.fightbacknews.orgLow-income families protest MN State of the Statehttp://www.fightbacknews.org/2014/5/1/low-income-families-protest-mn-state-state
<p>St Paul, MN - On April 30, members of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) gathered outside the House Chambers of the Minnesota state capitol to protest Governor Mark Dayton’s State of the State address. “It’s been 28 years without a grant increase and Governor Dayton refuses to help children and their families,” said the WRC’s Darnella Wade.</p>
<p>For the State of the State address, the whole legislature, Supreme Court, Secretary of State, Attorney General and former U.S. Vice-president Mondale attend. They all had to pass by the Welfare Rights Committee members holding signs of Governor Dayton’s face that read, “Shame on Dayton for ignoring 70,000 kids in extreme poverty.” They chanted, “70,000 kids! 70,000 kids!” and “The rich got bailed out, we got sold out!” </p>
<p>WRC members also displayed 28 tombstones to represent 28 years without a grant increase for MFIP (the state of Minnesota’s welfare program for poor children and their parents). The tombstones had slogans such as, “R.I.P. 28 years without an increase,” and “Rest in poverty.”</p>
<p>According to the Welfare Rights Committee’s statement: “Over the past decade, hundreds of millions of federal dollars targeted for Minnesota’s welfare have been raided by Minnesota politicians to supplant state spending and pay down the state’s deficits. Because of this theft, only 27% of the federal TANF dollars actually go to the Minnesota families receiving welfare. Meanwhile, MN welfare grants have not seen an increase for 28 years, while the cost of living has more than doubled.</p>
<p>“This year the state had a surplus. The governor and legislators had a chance to raise the welfare grants to help get 70,000 kids out of extreme poverty, but they refused. Instead they gave tax breaks, mostly to corporations and the well-to-do.”</p>
<p>The last to make a ceremonial entrance was Governor Dayton. WRC had a member stationed at the elevator, so he had to walk through the capitol and into the house chamber to the chants of “Dayton, Dayton! Shame on you!”</p>
<p>As the governor started his address, he got loud “boos” from WRC members. Their statement notes, “The governor tried to give a rosy picture of the state, but WRC was there to show that the ‘real state of the state’ is horrible for the poor and working families.”</p>
http://www.fightbacknews.org/2014/5/1/low-income-families-protest-mn-state-state#commentsGovernor Daytonlow-income familiesMinnesota Welfare Rights CommitteewelfarePoor People's MovementsThu, 01 May 2014 23:22:20 +0000Fight Back4054 at http://www.fightbacknews.orgGov. Dayton told: ‘Raise the welfare grants!’http://www.fightbacknews.org/2013/12/18/gov-dayton-told-raise-welfare-grants
<p>St. Paul, MN – Organized by the Welfare Rights Committee, low-income people gathered in front of Governor Mark Dayton’s mansion, Dec 18, to demand the state budget surplus be used to meet the needs of the poor and for an increase in the welfare grants. Protesters did a spoken word version of the song <em>Twelve Days of Christmas</em>, called<em> Twelve Days of Poverty</em>. Building on the Christmas theme of the event, they threw brightly colored packages adorned with slogans over the mansion fence.</p>
<p>A statement by protest organizers said, “Two weeks ago, the state announced that there is a projected $825 million surplus. The surplus is there because of years to cuts to programs for poor and working people. For most of us, the economic crisis is still very real, and we need help now. But Governor Dayton announced that he will propose tax cuts, mostly for businesses and the relatively well-to-do. His proposal to increase the Working Family Credit is cynical, since for years this credit has been partially funded by raiding federal welfare TANF block grant dollars. We say, TANF money should go to TANF families, in the form of a cash grant increase.”</p>
<p>The statement continued, “For years, state legislators have stolen money from the federal TANF block grant that was meant for welfare. They have used TANF dollars to supplant General Fund dollars in many areas (including the Working Family Tax Credit). Last year, only 28% of the TANF welfare money went to cash MFIP grants for desperately poor families. The Welfare Rights Committee aims to reverse that trend in 2014.”</p>
<p>The Welfare Rights Committee has legislation drafted for 2014. Their bill does three things. It moves up the implementation date of their 2013 victories for a housing allowance and undoing the family cap. It also calls for putting all of the federal TANF dollars that Minnesota gets towards a grant increase for families who are on welfare.</p>
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http://www.fightbacknews.org/2013/12/18/gov-dayton-told-raise-welfare-grants#commentsGovernor DaytonWelfare Rights CommitteePoor People's MovementsThu, 19 Dec 2013 02:01:30 +0000Fight Back3850 at http://www.fightbacknews.orgLow-income people go to MN governor’s mansion, tell Dayton to raise welfare grantshttp://www.fightbacknews.org/2013/1/15/low-income-people-go-mn-governor-s-mansion-tell-dayton-raise-welfare-grants
<p>St. Paul, MN - Members of the Welfare Rights Committee were at the governor’s mansion, Jan. 15, to deliver hundreds of postcards urging Governor Dayton to raise Minnesota’s welfare grants. Dayton is staying at the mansion while he recovers from back surgery.</p>
<p>The post cards read in part, “Welfare for families in poverty has not been increased for 27 years. In 1986 the cash grant for a family of two was $437 a month and today the grant is still only $437 a month. The cost of living has more than DOUBLED since 1986.” </p>
<p>Welfare Rights Committee members gathered the signatures for the postcards outside the Ramsey and Hennepin County public assistance offices.</p>
<p>In the weeks ahead, legislation will be introduced to dramatically increase the welfare grants.</p>
http://www.fightbacknews.org/2013/1/15/low-income-people-go-mn-governor-s-mansion-tell-dayton-raise-welfare-grants#commentsGovernor DaytonWelfare Rights Committee (WRC)Poor People's Movements44.953703 -93.089958Tue, 15 Jan 2013 23:44:08 +0000Fight Back3278 at http://www.fightbacknews.org